Monday, September 23, 2013

Home.

I headed back home this past weekend - the reason for the trip home was the wedding of a good friend.  We worked together back when I worked for a company that I refer to as "the psych experiment."  I didn't like much about that job, but I did walk away with one very, very good friendship.  When I found out that I had to move to Charlotte in January, I knew that one trip I'd fit into my budget was a trip home for her wedding as I just did not want to miss out on her special day.

I am a planner by nature, so once I knew I'd be home for Megan's wedding, I planned the heck out of the weekend.  I packed as much in as I could and had the best time.  It really was an awesome, awesome weekend.  Here are some of the things that made my weekend so awesome!

- I saw Phil on Friday night.  I briefly saw him when I was home in August, but this was the first time I saw him for more than 5 minutes since June.  A lot has happened in our lives since then so we had a lot to catch up on, but I am happy to say we only briefly discussed the sad things we are both dealing with and instead focused on having fun.  There was lots of laughter, some yummy thai food, and a couple of games of cribbage (our favorite game).  To be clear, we are definitely not together, but he is still someone I care about and will keep in touch with from afar.

- On Saturday morning, I met up with my run club for brunch and was blown way by the fact that 14 people showed up at brunch.  I miss my run club SO MUCH so it was great to catch up with so many of them in one place.  I'll see a couple of them next month in Chicago as some of them are running the marathon. 

- After brunch, I swung by my old boss's house for a quick visit.  They are keeping my piano for me while I am in Charlotte as I did not have room for it in my apartment here.  His daughter started piano lessons recently, so she played me the first song she learned - and did SO good.  It makes me really really happy to know my piano is being put to good use!

- The wedding was on Saturday night and despite the fact that I didn't really know anyone, I had a wonderful time.  The wedding was book themed, which was so cool!  My friend looked so gorgeous.  I am so happy for her and her husband - they are just the perfect pair.


- On Sunday I got to meet 2 new babies!  My friend had a baby on Thursday so Wyatt is a VERY new and oh my gosh, he stole my heart.  He's a litttle peanut as he weighs about 5.5 lbs since he was a little premature.  I could have sat there and held him all day long...


- I also got to meet my friend Heather's baby Everet - he is about 7 weeks old and probably weighs twice as much as Wyatt so it was quite the difference to hold him.  I got some smiles out of him when he woke up.  There's really nothing like a baby locking eyes with you and smiling!


- A good friend hosted me for the weekend and I tried to soak up as much time with her and her family in between dashing from place to place.  I loved chatting with her 6 year old son Elliot and my heart melted when her daughter Stella ran up the stairs on Saturday afternoon and said, 'I love you Lisa!' 

All in all, it was an amazing weekend.  There is just nothing like being home.  I won't lie, I had some hard moments on my trip home as being back in a city I love around people I love makes me realize how much I don't love it here in Charlotte.  Yes, I already knew Ididn't like Charlotte, but it kind of 'hits you over the head' when you are in a place where you feel so happy and content. 

There were some tears at different points of the weekend as while I know the next 7 months will go fast, they just can't go fast enough.  Home is where my heart is.  I'm traveling like crazy these days in an attempt to cope with living in Charlotte, but no amount of traveling is really going to change the fact that I have to return at the end of the trip to a city that is such a poor fit.  I am doing my best to make it work, but it was very harsd to go back to the airport and board the flight back to Charlotte. 

That said - one gift of this time spent living in Charlotte is that now I know for certain where my heart belongs. 

21 comments:

missris said...

So glad you had such a fun weekend! You certainly deserved it :)

Marlys said...

Wow, you sure did pack in a lot of things over the weekend! And meeting new babies is just about the best thing in the whole world! If I close my eyes, I can smell their newness. I can't think of anything that compares to the smell of new life, when their diapers are clean, that is! Ha!
I can't wait to see you in two weeks at another wedding, with lots of family to see & chatter with!
Hang in there - you can do it!

Kyria @ Travel Spot said...

I am glad that you had fun and that you did get a chance to do a lot of what you wanted to do! I know when you go home its sometimes hard to fit everything in, but you seemed to do pretty well, I must say! Just keep the memories of the babies and the people you love in your head when you are having trouble while on the road! They are still there, albeit a little farther than you want, and will be there when you get back!

Nora said...

Love that you got to see and do so many things while you were there. And two babies in one weekend? That's awesome. I finally held my neighbor friend's kid on Sunday. She's 6 weeks and weighs around 7 or 8 pounds. So tiny! Definitely made my heart melt.

Leigh said...

So glad that you were able to have a weekend at home to spend time with family, friends, go to a wedding, meet babies and enjoy yourself :)

Lauren @ Sassy Molassy said...

It sounds like you had a wonderful weekend. I love those ones that simply fill our souls up. Kind of like stock piling love, self care, joy all at one time. I think that's what happens when my high school group does reunions. 7 months will go by quickly and hopefully you can get right back to where you heart is home. :)

Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks said...

I always laugh when I hold a baby now ... because they're SO LIGHT compared to holding Gavin. On the flip side of things, I can't tell you how many times during Gavin's life where we've gone, "We can't wait until he walks on his own, because he's getting sooooo heavy to hold" ... and 10 lbs later, we're still picking him up and holding him. hahaha.

I know being in Minneapolis is bittersweet, but it really sounds like the sweet far outweighed the bitter on this trip home. Yay!

Jen Feeny said...

A much deserved weekend for you, glad you got to have some fun at home with all the people you love the most.

Carolina John said...

What fun! Weddings and babies, oh my. Who wouldn't enjoy being home like that? What a great time.

Stephany said...

This sounds like such a wonderful weekend. I'm so happy you were able to go to Minneapolis and get in so much good times with your friends! Those babies look so adorable. OMG. Babies are the best. :)

Jeanie said...

Maybe we have to go where we don't belong to discover how much we belonged where we were. At any rate, you'll head back that direction in due time -- and knowing that (and all on your schedule between now and then) will help keep you sane.

I'm glad you had a good time with Phil. And just that -- nothing more, nothing less. This is good...

Becky said...

Seriously, the first thing I thought when I saw that picture of you holding Wyatt is "she looks so happy!" Hoping these months FLY by for you!

Kelly (She Wears a Red Sox Cap) said...

I'm glad you had such a wonderful weekend home, and I do wish you didn't have to go through this year just to "find out" that you belong in MN. The babies both look adorable- I think Wyatt came early just so he could meet you :) (also I was 5.5 when I was born too, also early!). The wedding looks really great too- I'm glad you had fun and your dress is sooo cute!

The Many Thoughts of a Reader said...

looks like a fun weekend!

Jolene - EverydayFoodie said...

I'm glad to hear that you had a good weekend, and that you and Phil had a nice time together and have maintained a friendship :-)

Charis Faith said...

So glad you had such a wonderful full weekend!!! While 7 months is a long time, I think the saying the days are long but the months are short could apply to this one. By you traveling and keeping so busy the time will go by and before you know it you are going to be moving back to where your heart is!

Caroline said...

I'm glad you had a nice weekend home, you so deserve it! Hoping these next 7 months fly by!

Elizabeth said...

Glad you had a great trip home. You look so pretty in those pictures with the babes. Have you started to think of what the transition back to Minneapolis will look like in 7 months? Are they going to let you transfer back or will you have to look for a new job?

Abby said...

Wow! Sounds like an amazing weekend :). I think it's really great that you and Phil have remained good friends. Sounds like it was good to reconnect with him - as you both have had a rough few months.

Those are some beautiful babies you got to hold! There is something so calming about holding a newborn baby. I swear it lowers my heart rate.

I LOVE your friends book-themed wedding! That is too cool! Adorable!

It is healthy to use a rough experience to really define where you want to be. I know my heart is not in Texas. I know I don't like big hustle-bustle ER's/hospitals where I feel like I'm in a perpetual state of "not being caught up".

You look great, Lisa! I see the glow in your eyes of being "home" ;)

Lisa-Marie said...

I'm so glad you had fun at home. TH
he ride looks beautiful! and ooooh I want to squish that baby!

Amber said...

I'm epically late commenting on this post but I'm SO glad you had such a good trip home! This post is just so upbeat and happy. And omg baby Wyatt is SO CUTE and tiny! He melts my heart just from the picture!